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Yep, couldn’t agree more. Paseka got over the advantage line several times tonight. Danny Levi has stuck it up a few as well.
Danny Levi has really improved the last couple games hence our wins... I’m of the opinion Dummy Half is the most important position in the game, or at least second to halfback. He is definitely worth a resign - if Manase is back he can just be backup or come off the bench... we need a second quality hooker in our squad even if Manase gets back to us.

He has a new wind of confidence it is great, running and now scoring... for the coin he is on (150kish?) he is a definite resigning IMO and at least depth wise.
 
What's with all the wadell haters on here? I agree with freagle.. he's played out of position but always brings energy and solod defender... also i reckon we win more games than not when he's in the team!
By no means a hater, i Like him but just don’t think he is near our top 17 - we can only have solid players aka passengers when we are fully fit and Tom is scoring 12+ points on his own... Paseka and Keppie run hard and bend the line all the time... Waddell doesnt. He is a good depth option but far behind these boys in terms of impact on the game off the bench.
 
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No point having too many props on the bench if they can only last 10mins with the speed of the game and 6 again rule. What we need is explosive hard running backrowers that are a mix between the size of a prop and the mobility and longer minutes of a backrower.

Traditional props really are for the hard yards up the middle in the early fresh stages of each half, once fatigue kicks in the drop in performance is too steep and defensive holes appear along with ineffective carries.

In saying that AFB has a great motor and i'm really impressed by his work rate for someone so big, very rare find in that department.
 
Danny Levi has really improved the last couple games hence our wins... I’m of the opinion Dummy Half is the most important position in the game, or at least second to halfback. He is definitely worth a resign - if Manase is back he can just be backup or come off the bench... we need a second quality hooker in our squad even if Manase gets back to us.

He has a new wind of confidence it is great, running and now scoring... for the coin he is on (150kish?) he is a definite resigning IMO and at least depth wise.
Levi for the most part will be the starter and Fainu injected later on for his running probing game around the ruck.

You can tweak the minutes of both to suit the game so other games Fainu will get more minutes relative to Levi.

In saying that i would prefer one hooker for 80mins to reduce interchanges, the game is getting quicker and the possibility of interchanges dropping to 6(i hope not) means an 80min hooker is probably the go---unless you reduce the size of your forward pack to play longer minutes and have the extra interchange for spark out of dummy half.

Fainu defensively is not good enough, physically i don't see him standing up to the grind of the NRL and passing wise he lacks variety from the ruck.
 
Levi for the most part will be the starter and Fainu injected later on for his running probing game around the ruck.

You can tweak the minutes of both to suit the game so other games Fainu will get more minutes relative to Levi.

In saying that i would prefer one hooker for 80mins to reduce interchanges, the game is getting quicker and the possibility of interchanges dropping to 6(i hope not) means an 80min hooker is probably the go---unless you reduce the size of your forward pack to play longer minutes and have the extra interchange for spark out of dummy half.

Fainu defensively is not good enough, physically i don't see him standing up to the grind of the NRL and passing wise he lacks variety from the ruck.
Fainu more than good enough defensively IMO. Kid is young too it will come... he is miles ahead of Levi as a hooker and plays as a second halfback basically... he was scoring tries off his own running game last year. Was a top 5 hooker in comp last year he is that good in attack. I do like Levi tho at the moment so both would be great and not too costly
 
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Fainu mire than good enough defensivelt IMO. Kid is young too it will come... he is miles ahead of Levi as a hooker and plays as a second halfback basically... he was scoring tries off his own running game last year. Was a top 5 hooker in comp last year he is that good in attack. I do like Levi tho at the moment so both would be great and not too costly
Was playing behind a better performing pack and halves last year with less injuries in the squad along with having Api take some of the defensive load.

Probing around the ruck with offloads is Fainu's only stand out point, defensively and passing wise he is average at best.

The good thing is his value has dropped not being on the field so hopefully Manly doesn't pay too much for his services, will make a good number 2 for now until he proves himself more and improves the weak parts of his game.

Playing as a "Second halfback" is really overstating his qualities.
 
Was playing behind a better performing pack and halves last year with less injuries in the squad along with having Api take some of the defensive load.

Probing around the ruck with offloads is Fainu's only stand out point, defensively and passing wise he is average at best.

The good thing is his value has dropped not being on the field so hopefully Manly doesn't pay too much for his services, will make a good number 2 for now until he proves himself more and improves the weak parts of his game.

Playing as a "Second halfback" is really overstating his qualities.
Not sure on the passing comment. I remember we all agreed here his service was miles better than Koroisau when Fainu came on hence we scored more points when Fainu was playing. Koroisau was great for us and has improved a lot this year but last year when they were both playing for manly about the only area Koroisau was better than Fainu was defence.
 
Not sure on the passing comment. I remember we all agreed here his service was miles better than Koroisau when Fainu came on hence we scored more points when Fainu was playing. Koroisau was great for us and has improved a lot this year but last year when they were both playing for manly about the only area Koroisau was better than Fainu was defence.
I said both had poor to at best average passing skills from dummy half, Fainu had a better running game in some parts due to the time he would come on, unique way of engaging the markers and offloading and also Api being out of form(i think partly lacking confidence due to the way Hasler used him in the game and lack of belief in him)

Defensively and intensity wise Api is miles ahead of Fainu.

Api has already shown this year what a difference a coach that believes in him and lets him play his natural game will have, i stated last year Api will have a great year with the Panthers---i think most hookers would play better away from the heavy cow paddock of Brookie especially on slippery slow nights.

Happy to keep Fainu if it is at a value price----but not at "star" quality prices where the money could be better dished out elsewhere for more direct punch in our forward stocks and wingers.
 
I said both had poor to at best average passing skills from dummy half, Fainu had a better running game in some parts due to the time he would come on, unique way of engaging the markers and offloading and also Api being out of form(i think partly lacking confidence due to the way Hasler used him in the game and lack of belief in him)

Defensively and intensity wise Api is miles ahead of Fainu.

Api has already shown this year what a difference a coach that believes in him and lets him play his natural game will have, i stated last year Api will have a great year with the Panthers---i think most hookers would play better away from the heavy cow paddock of Brookie especially on slippery slow nights.

Happy to keep Fainu if it is at a value price----but not at "star" quality prices where the money could be better dished out elsewhere for more direct punch in our forward stocks and wingers.
Manase has good football awareness, he is always backing up. Something we have missed this season is players not following the big men through looking for that offload.

I don’t think you can coach football awareness that Manase possesses.
 
Manase has good football awareness, he is always backing up. Something we have missed this season is players not following the big men through looking for that offload.

I don’t think you can coach football awareness that Manase possesses.
No point having football awareness if the rest of your game is average at best.

Fainu will flourish though under the new rules if our go forward is more straight, direct and has some punch.(If Fainu was playing over the last month he would barely be noticed other than gasping for breath and hiding in the defensive line)
 
No point having football awareness if the rest of your game is average at best.

Fainu will flourish though under the new rules if our go forward is more straight, direct and has some punch.(If Fainu was playing over the last month he would barely be noticed other than gasping for breath and hiding in the defensive line)
Lol.
The kid can defend well, a healthy off season and 10 or so and games under his belt, esp with new rules Fainu would be killing it.
 
Lol.
The kid can defend well, a healthy off season and 10 or so and games under his belt, esp with new rules Fainu would be killing it.
You need an all round game like Cameron Smith to compensate for Fainu's lack of intensity and defensive weaknesses---which he doesn't have.
 
If no AFB and Marty.

Tent and Sipley to start.

Boyle and Keppie on the bench.

With AFB and Marty.

Tent and AFB to start.

Marty, Boyle and Keppie on the bench.
 
Des Hasler indicates a suspected PCL injury for Addin Fonua-Blake. Scans to determine severity. General return to play guide:
Grade 1: 1-3 weeks
Grade 2: 3-5 weeks
Grade 3: 5-8 weeks
 

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